Bear Brook : Old South Road->Hemlock->Campground->OutandBack->SouthRoad.
I looked for a way to make a loop of the Old South Road and OutAndBack trails, but a sketchy bridge and an aversion to high, fast moving, freezing cold water, full of icy and mossy rocks, turned me back.
That was in the late fall of '23
With the current drought, I figured the water would be low enough to try again.
Long story short, the rocks were still mossy but easily enough crossed with the very low water.
The walk was pleasant, and since it was still in season, the campground store made for an enjoyable stop for an ice cream sandwich 😎
There's a nice spot to park at the Old South Road trailhead on Deerfield's South Road.
Very limited roadside parking is possible at the Out&Back trailhead, but the road traffic is fast and furious.
There was a big RV in the campground. Not terribly unusual, of course, but I was a little amazed at the array of lights and antennae !
The OutAndBack trail begins in the campground at the end of the road to sites 12 & 13. It ends at South Road with a somewhat overgrown treadway beneath a power line, alongside the AQ Fence Contractors.
Watch out for the traffic on the way back to the Old South Rd trailhead , especially at rush hour !!
